Oyster-opener.



A. 1?. HALL.

OYSTER OBBNER. APPLICATION FILED JAN.18, 1910.

. Patented July 18, 1911.

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ALEX F. HALL, OF EALUM, FLORIDA.

OYSTER-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 18, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Serial No. 538,624,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEX F. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ealum, in the county of Walton, State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oyster-Openers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to an oyster opener, and has for its primary object the provision of an opener that will conveniently and quickly open oysters.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an oyster opener that is capable of being mounted upon a table or other suitable support so that oysters can be conveniently opened and which opener comprises two inverted U-shaped frames suitably spaced apart, one leg of each frame being bowed and provided at its adjacent edge with teeth, these bowed portions being mutually opposite and springing outwardly so that the teeth will firmly grip an oyster at one edge thereof and the frames at their web portions connecting the legs are provided with registering notches forming fulcrum sockets for adjustably receiving a lever having a jaw to engage the oyster at another portion of its edge, so that upon manipulating the lever in one direction the said oyster will be opened.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an oyster opener of this character which is simple in construction, readily and easily operated, and one that is inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred form of embodiment of the invention, to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, as pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of an opener constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 5 designates a portion of a table top or other base or support for the purpose of holding the oyster opener attached thereto in an upright position, the oyster opener will be hereinafter more fully described.

The oyster opener comprises two inverted U-shaped frames 6, the same being alike and are held spaced a suitable distance from each other by means of spacer sleeves 7, through which are passed rivets 8, the latter also being passed through the frames for uniting the same together. One leg 9, of each frame is outwardly bowed as at 10, which bowed portion is provided at its inner edge with serrations or teeth 11, and these bowed portions 10, in the legs of the two frames are arranged opposite each other.

The legs 9, of the frame 6, at their lower extremities are bent outwardly to form feet 12, the same being suitably perforated and through these perforations are passed suitable fasteners 13, engagingthe base 5, to rigidly mount the opener in an upright position thereon.

Between the cross connecting web portions 14:, uniting the legs 9, of the frame is disposed a swinging lever 15, the latter being bent near one end to form an angular portion 16, and projecting from opposite faces of this angular portion are integral laterally extending pins 17, which serve as trunnions to adjustably engage in a pair of corresponding notches 18, provided in the web portion 14, of the frames to prevent the lever 15, moving backward and downward when its pointed jaw terminal 19, is in engagement with and operating upon an oyster by pressure being brought to bear upon the said lever.

Connected to one leg 9 of one frame and also to the angular portion 16, of the lever 15, is a coiled retractile spring 20, and by this spring 20,. being disposed below the plane of the web portions of the frames, the

said spring will normally maintain the pointed jaw terminal 19, of the lever retracted from the toothed bowed portions 10, of said frames to enable the ready and quick introduction of an oyster into the opener to be subsequently operated'upon by the pointed terminal 19, of the swinging lever. The bowed portions 10 of the frame members 6 act as pocket walls to hold an oyster against vertical displacement thereon. In this way the operator can very rapidly and accurately position an oyster so that the pointed jaw terminal 19 can be forced through one end of the oyster shell. The bowed portions 10 also serve to hold the parts of the oyster shell from separating too rapidly so that the juice in the shell Willbe prevented from spilling and the oyster possibly injured.

It is of course understood that this lever may be either operated manually or by suitable motive power.

\Vhat is claimed is An oyster opener comprising an inverted U-shaped frame, said frame being formed with. confronting legs having bowed U- shaped portions and formed with inwardly projected teeth, and a lever pivoted to the frame and formed on its lower end with a sharp terminal adapted to be forced between an oyster shell, said bowed portions being adapted to hold an oyster shell against vertical displacement and to limit the outward movement of the parts of an oyster shell when a shell is opened by the insertion of the jaw.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ALEX F. HALL.

lVitnesses Loon Comm, J. P. XVILLIAMs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

